Liquid storage system



United States Patent 3,444,883 LIQUID STORAGE SYSTEM William M. Slaughter, P.0. Box A-265, Fuquay Varina, N.C. 27526 Filed Feb. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 613,948 Int. Cl. B67d 5/06, 5/54; F15b 1/04 U.S. Cl. 137-207 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid storage system having a valve, a pre-charged storage vessel, a pump, and a tap. The storage vessel is connected to the upstream side of the valve and the precharge dispenses liquid through the valve to the tap located at the downstream side of the valve. The discharge line of the pump has a common union with the tap at the valve. When the pressure in the pump line is slightly greater than the pressure of the precharge on the remaining liquid in the system, the valve will close to trap the precharge. As further liquid is removed, the pressure in the pump line decreases and the pump is automatically activated to open the valve and replenish the liquid supply in the vessel through the valve.

This invention relates to a liquid storage system, and

more specifically, to a system having a liquid storage vessel provided with a retainable precharge which is used to dispense the liquid therefrom and insures substantially complete withdrawal thereof.

Therefore, it is an object of this inventon to provide a liquid storage system having a precharged liquid storage vessel and means through which substantially all the stored liquid can be dispensed, but which will retain the precharge in the system.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel valve which can be attached at one end to the liquid storage vessel, through which liquid can be dispensed, but which will retain the precharge in the system.

A further object of this invention resides in the increased pumping efficiency obtained by connecting the discharge side of the liquid feed pump to a precharged storage vessel, thereby precluding logging of the pump.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a liquid storage system characterized by a combination of increased pumping efiiciency with substantially complete withdrawal of stored liquid.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made readily apparent from the disclosure in the attached specification and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a specific embodiment of the liquid storage system comprising the subject matter of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the valve used in the instant invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, a specific embodiment of the liquid storage system is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The system is adaptable to store and dispense a variety of liquids, such as water, petroleum products, etc.

The storage system consists of a storage vessel 12, depicted in FIGURE 1 as coiled plastic pipe, a valve generally designated as 14 connected at its upstream end to the vessel 12 by any suitable connection, such as a threaded connection, a discharge line 16 adapted to be connected to a conventional tap, and a pump line 18 adapted to be con- 3,444,883 Patented May 20, 1969 ice nected to the discharge side of a liquid pump, joined to the downstream side of the valve 14 and discharge line 16 by a T-shaped union 20. In lieu of coiled pipe, the storage vessel 12 could comprise a closed tank or even a straight length of pipe.

The storage vessel is precharged with a suitable compressible fluid, such as air, and filled with liquid to be stored, such as water. This may be accomplished either before or after connection of the vessel 12 to the valve 14, as the vessel could be provided with a suitable check valve through which fluid could be admitted to its interior.

The valve 14 comprises a cylindrical housing 22, threaded adjacent one end at 24. A concentric cylinder 26 depends from the interior of the top wall 28 of the cylindrical housing 22. The cylinder 26 is also threaded at one end as shown at 30, and has an opening 32 formed in its side wall adjacent to its threaded end.

A bottom wall 34, having a central bore 36 is threadedly connected to the threaded end 24 of the cylindrical housing 22, to close the housing. A nipple 38 having a passageway 39 extends through bore 36 and is externally threaded throughout its length as indicated at 40. A pipe connector 42, having an axial passageway 44 therethrough is threadedly connected to the threaded end 30 of the cylinder 26 at one end, and threadedly connected to the threads 40 of nipple 38 at its opposite end. The nipple 38 is also connected to the T-union 20, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3.

A nut 46 lock-s nipple 38 in place and a seal or gasket 48 is interposed between the nut and bottom wall 38 to prevent leakage from the valve.

A float 50 is confined within cylinder 26 and is connected by stem 52 to valve element 54. A substantially conical deflecting shield 56 extends from the top of valve element 54 and partially encircles stem 52. Nonmally, valve element 54 is adapted to rest on valve seat 58 formed by providing complemental surfaces in the interior of pipe connector 42.

A 'bleeder pipe 60 providing communication between the interior of cylinder 26 and the surrounding interior of cylindrical housing 22 completes the valve structure.

In operation, assuming that liquid is already stored within the interior of the vessel 12 and the precharge has been compressed by the liquid at the top of the vessel, opening of the tap will cause the stored liquid to be dirpensed.

The precharge will force liquid through the coils of vessel 12 into the interior of the cylindrical housing 22 of the valve 14. Liquid will then be forced through opening 32 in cylinder 26, completely filling the cylinder. The liquid within cylinder 26 will cause float 50 to rise to the top of the cylinder, which in turn will cause valve element 54 to leave valve seat 58, permitting communication and the flow of liquid between the interior of cylinder 26, and axial passageway 44, passageway 39, the interior of union 20, and discharge line 1 6.

As the tap is intermittently opened, liquid will continue to flow through valve 14, until the liquid pressure in the pump line 18 and union 20 is slightly greater than the pressure exerted by the precharge on the remaining liquid in the valve 14, The amount of precharge can be adjusted so that this will occur when the liquid level in the valve is at 62, as shown in FIGURE 2. At this level, substantially all the liquid stored in the system has been dispensed. Furthermore, when the liquid level has receded to 62, the float 50 will fall, causing valve element 54 to come to rert on valve seat 58, trapping and retaining the precharge within valve 14 and storage vessel 12.

As more liquid is drawn from the tap, the liquid pressure in pump line 18 will drop and the pump will be automatically activated. Liquid will be forced from the discharge side of the pump through line 18. The pressure from the pump will cause the liquid to unseat valve element 54 and liquid will flow into cylinder 26 of valve 14 through union 20, passageways 39 and 44. As the liquid fills cylinder 26 it will flow through opening 32 and completely fill cylindrical housing 22. Meanwhile, as the liquid level rises it will cause float 50 to rise to the top of cylinder 26, and any precharged air within the cylinder will bleed through bleed pipe 60 into the cylindrical chamber between housing 22 and cylinder 26. Liquid will continue to till the valve 14 and storage vessel '12, compressing the precharge, until sufiicient pressure is exerted in the pump line 18 to reach the cut-off level of the pump.

The operating cycle could then be repeated.

Since the pump operates against a contained precharge, there is no danger of it becoming logged, and it will remain inactive for substantially longer intervals than realized heretofore since substantially all the liquid will be withdrawn before it is activated.

Because float 50 is substantially confined within cylinder 26, the turbulence of the liquid being dispensed will have no effect on it. Similarly, shield 56, will prevent the flow of passing liquid from forcing valve element 54 to seat.

while a specific embodiment of my invention has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

-1. A liquid storage system comprising a liquid storage vessel charged with a compressible fluid, a liquid pump discharge line, a liquid tap line, and valve means between said storage vessel and said pump and tap lines for normally providing two-way communication between said vessel and lines but responsive to a predetermined liquid level in said system for closing communication between said vessel and lines; said valve means includes a housing, inlet means to said housing adapted to be connected to said storage vessel, outlet means near the bottom of said housing adapted to be connected to said pump discharge and tap lines; said outlet means including a valve seat, a float within said housing, and a valve element connected to said float adapted to be seated on said valve seat when the liquid level in said housing drops below a predetermined level, thereby preventing communication between said inlet and outlet means; said valve means including a cylinder depending from the top of said housing joined to said outlet means, said cylinder substantially confining said float and valve element, and an orifice in the wall of said cylinder; whereby the compressible fluid in said system can exert pressure on stored liquid to dispense it from said tap'line through said valve means and liquid to be stored can be conveyed to said vessel from said pump line through said valve means but said compressible fluid will be trapped and retained in said system. 7

2. A liquid storage system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said valve element includes a liquid deflecting shield.

3. A liquid storage system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wall of said cylinder includes a bleed pipe.

4. A valve adapted to be used in a liquid storage system comprising a housing, inlet means to said housing adapted to be connected to a liquid storagevessel, outlet means near the bottom of said housing including connector means for a pump discharge line and a tap line; said outlet means including a valve seat, a float within said housing, and a valve element connected to said float responsive to a predetermined liquid level in said housing to seat on said valve seat, thereby preventing communication between said inlet and outlet means; said valve including a cylinder depending from the top of said housing joined to said outlet means, said cylinder substantially confining said float and valve element, and an orifice in the wall of said cylinder.

5. A valve in accordance with claim 4 wherein said valve element includes a liquid deflecting shield.

6. A valve in accordance with claim 4 wherein the wall of said cylinder includes a bleed pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,622,843 3/19'27 Price et a1. 13826 XR 2,616,453 11/1952 Green 138-30 2,896,862 7/1959 Bede 137207 XR 2,979,070 4/1961 Payne 1 3830 XR 3,329,093 7/1967 Bear 13826 XR BILLY S. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 138-30 

